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Jonathan Ross is facing fresh criticism today after appearing to joke about sex with an 80-year-old woman on his Radio 2 comeback show.
The broadcaster has returned to work this week after serving a three-month suspension from the BBC for his part in the Manuelgate scandal, which saw him leaving a series of lewd messages on the voicemail of Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs.
In Ross's first radio show since the row yesterday, the host's producer Andy Davies told listeners that he had been grabbed by a "frisky" OAP as he worked in the garden of his villa in Spain.
Ross replied: "Eighty, oh God! I think you should, just for charity. Give her one last night, will you? One last night before the grave. Would it kill you?"
Davies's wife Abigail has since confirmed that the woman does exist, explaining: "It's very sad because she has Alzheimer's Disease. She takes a fancy to any man in the street and tries to kiss them."
Ross's comments, which were broadcast shortly after 10am, have since been condemned by Tory MP David Davies.
"On Radio 2 you don't expected X-rated references to sex, and especially sex with an 80-year-old, during the day," he explained. "[Ross] should have gone ages ago. There's no way this man should be on the air. He needs to be replaced now."
However, speaking outside his home yesterday evening, Ross insisted that his comments had been misinterpreted.
"I hope no one has been upset by the show," he told the News Of The World. "It was a kind of light-hearted remark about giving her a cuddle. It wasn't 'give her one' - I meant, 'Give her one last cuddle.' You know there was no malice intended. There was no harm intended, OK?"
A BBC Spokeswoman commented: "Regular listeners will be familiar with Jonathan’s irreverence and innuendo. There was clearly no intention to offend anyone. Nothing broadcast by the BBC was linked to a specific individual or would allow the public to link these comments to an individual."
Andy Davies said: "It is completely untrue to suggest that I was referring to a real individual on the programme, nor would I have told such a story about anyone suffering from dementia. The story was poetic licence based on the warm and affectionate behaviour experienced in Spanish village life. I did not identify an individual because there isn’t one."
